Hierro: Varane has got it all

01-Feb-2013 4:00:00 PM

The France international has impressed and his fine form has not gone unnoticed elsewhere as the former Spain star had nothing but positive words to say about the 19-year-old

Real Madrid legend Fernando Hierro has taken the time to praise Raphael Varane in the wake of the Frenchman's impressive performance against Barcelona.

The young centre-back put in a man-of-the-match performance to help Madrid to a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final against the Catalan giants, and has since been compared to Hierro.

"It's not time for that or for any other comparisons. Varane is very good, he's magnificent and he's got it all," Hierro told Marca.

"He's a player with good ball control, good positioning and he's very fast. He's also strong in the air in both boxes.

"But he must be left to grow, so he can be taken care of, creating the ideal environment for him to develop and show what he's got.

"Flaws? It would be strange if he didn't have anything that needed correcting at the age of 19. Varane is equally good now as he was before having played against Barcelona."

Varane has made 18 appearances in all competitions this season for Madrid, and was rewarded for his good form at club level with a call-up for France's international friendly against Germany.